Envy Green – Pont Alexandre III By Night Photoshoot

Bewitched by a scene of a woman exquisitely dressed, a glamorous bohemian…
It was a TV advertisement filmed in Paris back in the 1980s. And while I don’t remember what it was for, this woman I will never forget! She seemed to have just left a party and was walking seductively across the glorious Pont Alexandre III at dawn.
This scene filled me with a pleasurable envy and a desire that perhaps one day I could be this woman too.

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Many years later…
Finally, came the time when Kent and I would visit Paris together. It was this June actually. Well, way before our journey to France, Kent had heard me expressing my endless admiration of this ornate Parisian landmark – Pont Alexandre III; which included that advertisement from the ’80s. And we had looked at many pictures too, trying to find an image or film clip of that elusive memory, all without success.

‘We should do a night shoot here when all these lights are on.’ Kent seemed to have a vision as we strolled across Pont Alexandre III together.
Of course I happily agreed. But timing did not allow, we were soon to head for Lyon and the beautiful wine region of Beaujolais, then back to Lyon again for a few days before coming back to Paris.

By the time we had returned, all the outfits prepared for this trip were photographed, some even multiple times. So I found myself on a mission to select a new dress and style an ensemble for this fashion story.

When it comes to shopping in the City of Light, the department stores Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are my favourite destinations. The best thing is, they are almost right next door to each other. The moment I spotted this Pinko number in Galeries Lafayette – ‘GREEN WITH ENVY!!!’ – it screamed to me. ‘Ah! How fabulous!’ I thought. After all, this is a story about envy and admiration; plus I adored the dramatic bell-sleeve of the dress. I thought the drama would compliment the ostentatiously adorned Pont Alexandre III.

Our last eight days in Paris went very fast, and although I had picked my outfit, we always seemed to have somewhere to go, something to see, a bistro to try… And so it was not until our very last night in Paris that we were able to make these long awaited pictures happen.

It showered that day. After nearly a month of sunshine in France wherever we went, now it decided to shower on our last day in Paris! Well that actually did us a favour, as the rain had cleared, stormy and moody clouds added a more dramatic sky and mystery to the scene. The rest? Well since we’ve all heard the old saying: ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, I will let the pictures do the talking.

I had wished and imagined our Pont Alexandre III By Night Photoshoot would be bold, dashing and theatrical, and thanks to Kent who understood all these elements of photography; had what it takes to deliver and to transform this dreamer’s fantasy into a reality so that this story could be proudly told.

Vivienne is a traveller, author; story teller and sometimes a muse. She seeks a balance between travelling in comfort and style with value; perhaps being the daughter of a hotelier helps there. Through White Caviar Life, you will share in her travel experiences, stories and tips that she hopes to help enhance your own travel.

Green is normally a difficult colour to use, it is more likely to be associated with being too bold. Yet this green dress on you works like spring, empowering hope, and inviting the night sky of Paris to play. How very lovely, Vivienne! You and Kent recapturing a lost ad in the 80’s and retelling its story in wonders.